£155million boost for roads and transport in South Essex.

WORK is set to begin on three major transport schemes in South Essex after the Government agreed to plough in £155.8m of funding.

A four-and-a-half mile stretch of the A13 between Pitsea and the Orsett Cock, in Thurrock, is to be widened to six lanes while the A127 will get an overhaul at four-pinch points.

Southend’s Victoria Avenue will also get a facelift, while transport in the town will get a £7million boost.

Funding for the projects, seen as crucial to the economy in South Essex, was secured by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.

The Government announced today that the region is to receive £442.2million of funding as part of a “Growth Deal”, meaning important road improvements can begin.

A total of £49.6million will be invested in 2015/16 in the A127, a sustainable transport programme across South Essex, and an integrated transport package for Basildon – which will tweak junctions to prevent congestion.

In 2016/17 and beyond Thurrock will also see £5million investment to its cycling network, plus £7.5m to improve public transport to the London Gateway from Stanford-le-Hope and reconstruction of the A1014.

A £90million programme to widen the A13 between the Orsett Cock roundabout and Pitsea is among the schemes given the go-ahead.

DP World, which is spending £1.5billion building the London Gateway port and logistics park in Stanford-le-Hope had already pledged £10million to the scheme.

David Burch, of the Essex Chambers of Commerce said: “It’s very good news for Essex and the Thames Gateway area in particular.

“The local enterprise partnership submitted a long list of ‘asks’, but these are some of the key things asked for.

“We very much welcome them. They are certainly all things identified by businesses as potential barriers to growth.

“These are steps along the right road, if you excuse the pun, to break down those barriers and help businesses grow.”

The A127 is set for a multi-million pound revamp with four pinch points earmarked for multi-million pound overhauls to unblock traffic jams and boost the South Essex economy.

The Fairglen and Nevendon interchanges and Kent Elms and Bell junctions will all be improved over the next six years.

A new slip road connecting the A127 to the A130 at the Fairglen Interchange, between Rayleigh and Basildon, will be built, there will be extra lanes added at the Kent Elms and Bell junctions in Southend and an extra lane added to the Nevendon Interchange roundabout to Wickford.

The tricky revamp of the Fairglen Interchange, which is used by more than 70,000 vehicles a day, could cost up to £15million alone as it may need the compulsory purchase of Morbec Farm, estimated at more than £1million.

Fourth lanes could be added to the approaches in £5million overhauls of the Kent Elms and Bell junctions and the dedicated right turn feeder lanes extended to prevent waiting vehicles from blocking through-traffic.

Footbridges at both junctions would be lost to carriageway widening and replaced by “toucan” crossings, which are for pedestrians and cyclists.

A third lane could be added to the roundabout at the Nevendon Interchange, stopping traffic heading to Wickford via the A132 from backing up onto the A127, which would cost of £893,000.

At the time of going to press the SE LEP couldn’t confirm where the £49.6million would be allocated.

Southend will get a major facelift, with more £6.7million to flatten derelict office blocks blighting Victoria Avenue and £7million to improve transport in the town centre.

It is hoped the redevelopment, which is expected to include improvements to Queensway, will help create 2,000 new homes and up to 6,500 new jobs.

Peter Jones, chairman of the SE LEP, said: “This initial funding is tremendously good news for our businesses and residents – addressing years of under-funding of the south east’s transport network. It’s not only a matter of improving mobility around the area but providing links which open up major new sites for housing and business development.”

We were sent a questionnaire last year but we have not been sent any plans or any news that plans have been accepted.

" there will be extra lanes added at the Kent Elms and Bell junctions in Southend"

I'd very very much like to see the plans for this in particular as I suspect it will impact my property.

Where can we see the actual plans please?
We were sent a questionnaire last year but we have not been sent any plans or any news that plans have been accepted.
" there will be extra lanes added at the Kent Elms and Bell junctions in Southend"
I'd very very much like to see the plans for this in particular as I suspect it will impact my property.TheaWells

1nails wrote:
There has to be a lot put aside to repair potholes. This situation is getting crazy.

Completely agree, whatever else they do ie, widening roads, adding lanes ect, is not going to be of any real joy to the motorist or cyclist if the roads are still full of potholes !!

[quote][p][bold]1nails[/bold] wrote:
There has to be a lot put aside to repair potholes. This situation is getting crazy.[/p][/quote]Completely agree, whatever else they do ie, widening roads, adding lanes ect, is not going to be of any real joy to the motorist or cyclist if the roads are still full of potholes !!Almeda11

When they say make an extra lane it usually means narrowing those that are there ! Not acceptable. As for improving transport in central southend - its not there it is needed . Belfairs/Blenheim area is as usual neglected where we cannot get to our nearest town - Leigh !
I have no doubt all this is going to do is improve access to the airport. Whilst I have no objection to that most of time we dont fly ! we go to work. What they have done for cylists so far is not worth a bar of chocolate since all they do is hamper the other traffic.

When they say make an extra lane it usually means narrowing those that are there ! Not acceptable. As for improving transport in central southend - its not there it is needed . Belfairs/Blenheim area is as usual neglected where we cannot get to our nearest town - Leigh !
I have no doubt all this is going to do is improve access to the airport. Whilst I have no objection to that most of time we dont fly ! we go to work. What they have done for cylists so far is not worth a bar of chocolate since all they do is hamper the other traffic.jolllyboy

As someone who actually ventures beyond the boundaries of my own town, I can vouch for how awful the Fairglen Interchange is at peak times. Traffic tails all the way back to Kent Elms causing a few short miles to last upwards of half an hour, so unfortunately it needs widening. It shouldn't us take so long to get out of town.

For those with ideals of potholes being filled with this money, it's not going to happen. We read so often about how money is "ringfenced" by councils as the government attaches caveats to the grants that it must be used for specific purposes. So this money will be used for infrastructure, not maintenance, no matter how much armchair moaning is done about it.

At least some good will come of it and, in this case, better roads in and out of Southend. Just a shame there will be upheaval while the work takes place over what will probably be a long period.

As someone who actually ventures beyond the boundaries of my own town, I can vouch for how awful the Fairglen Interchange is at peak times. Traffic tails all the way back to Kent Elms causing a few short miles to last upwards of half an hour, so unfortunately it needs widening. It shouldn't us take so long to get out of town.
For those with ideals of potholes being filled with this money, it's not going to happen. We read so often about how money is "ringfenced" by councils as the government attaches caveats to the grants that it must be used for specific purposes. So this money will be used for infrastructure, not maintenance, no matter how much armchair moaning is done about it.
At least some good will come of it and, in this case, better roads in and out of Southend. Just a shame there will be upheaval while the work takes place over what will probably be a long period.x2k

People are strange they moan about the roads but then moan when works go in to improve them, remember some numpty actually say that the Victoria Gateway/Cuckoo Corner/City Beach works could have been started and completed in ONE night!

People are strange they moan about the roads but then moan when works go in to improve them, remember some numpty actually say that the Victoria Gateway/Cuckoo Corner/City Beach works could have been started and completed in ONE night!Joe Clark

Government announce £155 million for roads. only £40 million will materialise. Of this, only £5 million will be spent on tarmac once consultancy and stationary (brown envelope) costs are stripped away. Of the £5 million, the majority will be spent on road materials that wont last through the first cold spell.

Government announce £155 million for roads. only £40 million will materialise. Of this, only £5 million will be spent on tarmac once consultancy and stationary (brown envelope) costs are stripped away. Of the £5 million, the majority will be spent on road materials that wont last through the first cold spell.jayman

So they have just finished the work to make the roundabout at Stanford Le Hope bigger and tidied the A13 up with fencing. The two bridges carrying the roundabout straddling the A13 don't have a wide enough span to carry six lanes unless they are narrower than they are now. So how are they going to do it?

So they have just finished the work to make the roundabout at Stanford Le Hope bigger and tidied the A13 up with fencing. The two bridges carrying the roundabout straddling the A13 don't have a wide enough span to carry six lanes unless they are narrower than they are now. So how are they going to do it?bob7

jolllyboy wrote:
When they say make an extra lane it usually means narrowing those that are there ! Not acceptable. As for improving transport in central southend - its not there it is needed . Belfairs/Blenheim area is as usual neglected where we cannot get to our nearest town - Leigh !
I have no doubt all this is going to do is improve access to the airport. Whilst I have no objection to that most of time we dont fly ! we go to work. What they have done for cylists so far is not worth a bar of chocolate since all they do is hamper the other traffic.

Try walking to Leigh - it's not far.

And stop trying to make everything about the airport - you have issues!

[quote][p][bold]jolllyboy[/bold] wrote:
When they say make an extra lane it usually means narrowing those that are there ! Not acceptable. As for improving transport in central southend - its not there it is needed . Belfairs/Blenheim area is as usual neglected where we cannot get to our nearest town - Leigh !
I have no doubt all this is going to do is improve access to the airport. Whilst I have no objection to that most of time we dont fly ! we go to work. What they have done for cylists so far is not worth a bar of chocolate since all they do is hamper the other traffic.[/p][/quote]Try walking to Leigh - it's not far.
And stop trying to make everything about the airport - you have issues!DannyK86

Unless something is done to discourage car users then gnerally all that will happen is that more traffic will eventually clog up the improvements. Making all the junctions more efficient will just pass the traffic volume further up the line more quickly - thus creating more problems elsewhere.
The main problem at Kent Elms is the North/South Traffic movements. These back up to Rochford Corner and up Bridgewater Drive every morning. Usually you can get maximum of 4 cars turning right (North &South) at this junction...this is not enough. A 45 second addition dedicated T/Light phase to separate North/South would make a huge difference. It's not rocket science.

Unless something is done to discourage car users then gnerally all that will happen is that more traffic will eventually clog up the improvements. Making all the junctions more efficient will just pass the traffic volume further up the line more quickly - thus creating more problems elsewhere.
The main problem at Kent Elms is the North/South Traffic movements. These back up to Rochford Corner and up Bridgewater Drive every morning. Usually you can get maximum of 4 cars turning right (North &South) at this junction...this is not enough. A 45 second addition dedicated T/Light phase to separate North/South would make a huge difference. It's not rocket science.the citizen

With any luck they might find a few pounds to get rid of the stupid bus lanes on the A13 at Benfleet and reinstate Bread & Cheese Hill to as it was. We have had to suffer the bus lanes in order for the last Labour Government to release the funding for the A13 to be resurfaced.

With any luck they might find a few pounds to get rid of the stupid bus lanes on the A13 at Benfleet and reinstate Bread & Cheese Hill to as it was. We have had to suffer the bus lanes in order for the last Labour Government to release the funding for the A13 to be resurfaced.Ian P

Ian P wrote:
With any luck they might find a few pounds to get rid of the stupid bus lanes on the A13 at Benfleet and reinstate Bread &amp; Cheese Hill to as it was. We have had to suffer the bus lanes in order for the last Labour Government to release the funding for the A13 to be resurfaced.

dont you just love driving through Benfleet squeezed in traffing while the occassional bus drives along an empty bus lane that every so often comes to an end so the bus has to move into the car lanes and cause more delays. What kind of crazy environmentalist spent so much money on such a pitiful system - without even increasing the frequency and volume of buses to make it even appear value for money.

[quote][p][bold]Ian P[/bold] wrote:
With any luck they might find a few pounds to get rid of the stupid bus lanes on the A13 at Benfleet and reinstate Bread & Cheese Hill to as it was. We have had to suffer the bus lanes in order for the last Labour Government to release the funding for the A13 to be resurfaced.[/p][/quote]dont you just love driving through Benfleet squeezed in traffing while the occassional bus drives along an empty bus lane that every so often comes to an end so the bus has to move into the car lanes and cause more delays. What kind of crazy environmentalist spent so much money on such a pitiful system - without even increasing the frequency and volume of buses to make it even appear value for money.woodsider

Ian P wrote: With any luck they might find a few pounds to get rid of the stupid bus lanes on the A13 at Benfleet and reinstate Bread &amp; Cheese Hill to as it was. We have had to suffer the bus lanes in order for the last Labour Government to release the funding for the A13 to be resurfaced.

dont you just love driving through Benfleet squeezed in traffing while the occassional bus drives along an empty bus lane that every so often comes to an end so the bus has to move into the car lanes and cause more delays. What kind of crazy environmentalist spent so much money on such a pitiful system - without even increasing the frequency and volume of buses to make it even appear value for money.

It actially caused me to move from Benfleet altogether

[quote][p][bold]woodsider[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Ian P[/bold] wrote: With any luck they might find a few pounds to get rid of the stupid bus lanes on the A13 at Benfleet and reinstate Bread & Cheese Hill to as it was. We have had to suffer the bus lanes in order for the last Labour Government to release the funding for the A13 to be resurfaced.[/p][/quote]dont you just love driving through Benfleet squeezed in traffing while the occassional bus drives along an empty bus lane that every so often comes to an end so the bus has to move into the car lanes and cause more delays. What kind of crazy environmentalist spent so much money on such a pitiful system - without even increasing the frequency and volume of buses to make it even appear value for money.[/p][/quote]It actially caused me to move from Benfleet altogetherwoodsider

We were sent a questionnaire last year but we have not been sent any plans or any news that plans have been accepted.

&quot; there will be extra lanes added at the Kent Elms and Bell junctions in Southend"

I'd very very much like to see the plans for this in particular as I suspect it will impact my property.

The best thing is to phone or email the council and request them.

[quote][p][bold]TheaWells[/bold] wrote:
Where can we see the actual plans please?
We were sent a questionnaire last year but we have not been sent any plans or any news that plans have been accepted.
" there will be extra lanes added at the Kent Elms and Bell junctions in Southend"
I'd very very much like to see the plans for this in particular as I suspect it will impact my property.[/p][/quote]The best thing is to phone or email the council and request them.Almeda11

roger moore wrote:
does this mean thamesgate house and baryta house will be getting pulled down?

I hope so!!

Plus I hope they do something about the 13 story building on the other side of the road (next to fountain) that has a lot of squatters.

That would definitely clean up Victoria Avenue!!!

[quote][p][bold]roger moore[/bold] wrote:
does this mean thamesgate house and baryta house will be getting pulled down?[/p][/quote]I hope so!!
Plus I hope they do something about the 13 story building on the other side of the road (next to fountain) that has a lot of squatters.
That would definitely clean up Victoria Avenue!!!rob-wos

A third lane added to the roundabout at Nevendon Interchange stopping traffic backing up onto the A127 from Wickford. How about fixing the traffic problem causing the back up EVERY single week day evening before adding a third lane AND before building any more houses without the proper infrastructure, schools AND Doctor surgeries? Or am I in the minority for common sense?

A third lane added to the roundabout at Nevendon Interchange stopping traffic backing up onto the A127 from Wickford. How about fixing the traffic problem causing the back up EVERY single week day evening before adding a third lane AND before building any more houses without the proper infrastructure, schools AND Doctor surgeries? Or am I in the minority for common sense?Jolly77

Joe Clark wrote:
People are strange they moan about the roads but then moan when works go in to improve them, remember some numpty actually say that the Victoria Gateway/Cuckoo Corner/City Beach works could have been started and completed in ONE night!

There was one person who said they should never have been started at all...

[quote][p][bold]Joe Clark[/bold] wrote:
People are strange they moan about the roads but then moan when works go in to improve them, remember some numpty actually say that the Victoria Gateway/Cuckoo Corner/City Beach works could have been started and completed in ONE night![/p][/quote]There was one person who said they should never have been started at all...jayman